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Federal Cases Show
Big Gap in Reward
For Cooperation

Rules on Reducing Sentences
Vary Across U.S.; An Edge
For Some Crime Bosses

By

Laurie P. CohenStaff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated Nov. 29, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

On Jan. 28, 2004, federal agents stopped a fishing boat and a pleasure boat as they sped into a Florida inlet from the Bahamas carrying 380 kilograms of cocaine and 487 pounds of marijuana. Ringleader William "Billy" Stevens, 46 years old, was arrested along with Henry Rudnitskie and one other man.

Messrs. Stevens and Rudnitskie both sought to cooperate with authorities, lawyers in the case say. But Mr. Rudnitskie was turned down because "anything he knew came from Billy," says Mr. Stevens's lawyer, Alvin...